1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to disposable and inflatable devices for the cleansing and antisepsis of the vagina and for sexual aid.
2. Prior Art
For self-treatments of vaginal irritation, itching or infections and regular hygiene of the vagina, difficulties usually arise because the inner end of the vagina is ring-shaped, with the vaginal dome collapsing against the uterine cervix (anterior and posterior fornix). In addition, the vaginal walls are normally collapsed against each other; and the inner surfaces of the vaginal walls have multiple rugae, villi, folds and creases. U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,058 to Demetrakopoulos disclosed a phallic-shaped apparatus for the cleansing and antisepsis of the vagina that has some advantages over standard douching techniques. The apparatus with a phallic-shaped solid soap body can overcome the limitations of douching simply because the user can stretch the vagina walls and can even sequentially stretch particular parts of the vagina while at the same time applying soap and medication to these parts. The apparatus can deliver the lather formed on the outer surface of the phallic-shaped body to appropriate areas of the vagina. This stretching of the vagina may also allow for the draining of undesirable vaginal secretions from between inflamed rugae or folds. Therefore, it is the phallic or dildo-like shape that makes the apparatus efficient and effective at disinfecting the vagina, particularly when medicated solutions are used. Unfortunately, the reusable feature of the apparatus itself may cause some health concerns.
In a very different field, dildos have been commonly used for sexual aid by stimulation of erogenous zones of the human body. Examples include the use of dildos for insertion into body orifices such as the vagina. The development of modern plastics and other moldable materials has enabled the mass production of dildos in a wide variety of forms in shape, design texture and size. Dildos can be as simple as solid smooth-edged/contoured cylinders or as complex as replicas of human penises. Because of the material costs, dildos are mostly designed for reuse. However, even if people are willing to spend time and money, it is still burdensome to clean or sterilize dildos thoroughly after use to avoid any health concerns. Many dildos, mostly made of less expensive materials, cannot be sterilized via boiling or washing with detergents.
Although people have accepted sexual aid devices such as dildos or vibrators for enhancing sexual pleasure, most people want to keep sexual devices concealed when not in use for fear of embarrassment. Therefore online sales of sexual devices become popular and more dominant than sex shops. However, it is very difficult to conceal dildos in marketing, selling, purchasing, and storing because of their solid materials and considerable shapes and sizes. Thus some dildos are made at small sizes but they have compromised effectiveness; others are made in shapes of regular toys or products but they waste extra materials and time. There are some thick-shelled rubber dildos with integral hand pumps, available in the current market, called “inflatable dildos” with the capacity of increasing lateral size with air. However, just like other dildos, they are not flexible and cannot be packed into a small package because of their full longitudinal sizes and considerable lateral sizes. All these limit or suppress the marketing power, distribution capacity and market supply of dildos since no major retail stores in the United States sells dildos in any current forms.
Therefore, it would be very desirable to have a simple device 1) that can be used for the cleansing and antisepsis of the vagina; 2) that can function fully as a dildo of any predetermined size; 3) that has a flexibility to be packed in a small sealed package, substantially like a condom; 4) that is light for shipping and handling, convenient to carrying or storing, and easy to use; and 5) that is cheap enough to be disposable after one-time use. Thus, such a device would be more acceptable to the public, more marketable, and more suitable to be sold not only through the Internet or mail order but also in pharmacies and retail stores.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a device that has all these advantages described above. Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.